National Museum France's Louvre is one of the largest and most famous art museums in the world. It is located in the center of Paris on the right bank of the Seine. On an area of 60.6 thousand square meters About 35 thousand exhibits are exhibited.
The museum's collections occupy large complex buildings whose construction took place over eight centuries. The beginning was made by King Philip II Augustus (reigned 1180-1223), on whose orders a fortress was built to protect the approaches to the island of Cité, where the center of Paris was then located. The name Louvre was assigned to the citadel, perhaps because many wolves have long been found in this area, and it was called the “wolf place” - Louvenia.
The castle, measuring 78 by 72 meters, was built in 1190. The fortress was surrounded by a moat. There were round towers in the corners and in the center, the tallest of them, the central tower, was 30 meters high and 15 meters in diameter.
King Charles V (r. 1364-1380) made the Louvre his residence, and the castle was expanded and remodeled.
In 1541, under Francis I, this building was dismantled, and in its place in 1546-1574, according to the project famous architect French Renaissance Pierre Lescot created one of the best buildings of the era. In 1578, in connection with the construction of the Tuileries Palace undertaken by Catherine de Medici, construction began on a gallery connecting the Louvre with the new palace. In 1595, work began on the addition of this originally one-story gallery. Since 1624, according to the project of the architect Jacques Lemercier, a composition of a closed rectangle of the “Old Louvre” has been created, enclosing the square of the courtyard. Lemercier's work was continued by Louis Leveau and Claude Perrault, who built the colonnade of the eastern façade, part of the southern façade.
Since 1674 Louis XIV decided to make Versailles his residence. Work at the Louvre was suspended. Since 1672, the royal palace has housed the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture and the Royal Academy of Architecture, created in 1671. Since that time, a collection of paintings has been formed in the southern gallery. Guardian art gallery Charles Lebrun was appointed "the king's first painter". Since 1737, large events began to be held in one of the halls of the Louvre - the Square Salon. art exhibitions.
With the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, the Louvre was used for national meetings.
On August 10, 1793, an exhibition of paintings confiscated by the revolutionaries from the aristocracy opened in the Grand Gallery, and the Louvre became a public museum.
During the years of the First Empire, architects Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine built a second floor in the southern and northern wings of the Square Courtyard, extended the northern gallery, closing the Carousel Square, and erected a triumphal arch in honor of the military victories of Emperor Napoleon.
Under Napoleon Bonaparte art collections The Louvre was especially intensively replenished; most of it was captured during the wars; the emperor bought some works of art. According to Bonaparte, the “Museum of Napoleon” was to surpass all art collections in the world. As a result of Bonaparte's Egyptian campaign (1798-1799), the museum's antiquities department expanded significantly.
After the fall of Napoleon, many stolen works of art had to be returned. After the requisitions of 1815, the Louvre was somewhat empty, but its collection was significantly replenished in 1817 due to the transfer of exhibits from the liquidated Museum of French Monuments to its halls.
In 1939, with the outbreak of World War II, the museum's collections were evacuated. The Louvre reopened in September 1940.
In 1981, French President François Mitterrand signed the “Grand Louvre” project, according to which all the premises of the former palace were given to the museum. For this purpose, the Ministry of Finance, located in the Richelieu wing, moved to new premises. The Richelieu building, facing the Rue de Rivoli, was completely rebuilt according to a new design, and two courtyards, covered with glass domes, housed sculptures from the royal parks of Versailles and Marly.
In December 1986, on the other side of the Seine, the D'Orsay Museum was opened in a converted former train station building built in 1900. Works created by artists from 1848 to 1914 were transferred here from the Louvre.
In 1989, Chinese-American architect Yo Ming Pei, with the participation of French masters Michel Macari and Jean Michel Wilmot, built a glass pyramid in the center of Napoleon's courtyard, contrasting with the historical structure. A new main entrance to the museum was opened under the pyramid, where recreation, shops, a lecture hall, and office premises were located.
The Louvre presents works of Western European art from the Middle Ages to 1848, ancient civilizations. The collections are divided into several departments: painting, graphics, sculpture, Egyptian antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities, oriental antiquities,
The Louvre exhibition is huge. Here you can see works of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia: a statue of the scribe Kaya, winged bulls from Khorsabad and Assyrian reliefs. Among the masterpieces of ancient sculpture are the archaic statue of Hera of Samos, a fragment of the Parthenon frieze, statues of the Borghese fighter, the Venus of Milo and the Nike of Samothrace. The sculpture section contains figures of Michelangelo's "Slaves", works from the French Middle Ages and "Nymph of Fontainebleau" by Benvenuto Cellini. The exhibition of paintings includes paintings by Jean Clouet, Jean Antoine Watteau, Jacques Louis David, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Eugene Delacroix and others. The Italian school is represented by paintings by Paolo Uccello, Andrea Mantegna, Leonardo da Vinci. The most valuable part of the collection Italian painting in the Louvre - five paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, including the famous "La Gioconda". This is the world's largest collection paintings great artist. On the second floor of the Richelieu building, the Medici Gallery has been recreated, where 24 paintings by Peter Paul Rubens are displayed.
Special sections display works of decorative and applied art: tapestries, enamels, furniture, products made of gold and ivory, bronze, earthenware and porcelain.
In September 2012, the Louvre opened a department dedicated to Islamic art in new galleries covering an area of five thousand square meters. It houses about three thousand exhibits from the Islamic world from Spain to India from the 8th to the 19th centuries.
On December 4, 2012, as part of the “Grand Louvre” project, the first branch of the Louvre, the Louvre Lens, was opened, located in the northern town of France on an area of about 20 hectares. The main museum complex includes five interconnected buildings, including a gallery for temporary exhibitions with an area of 1.7 thousand square meters and a theater with 300 seats. The buildings, made of glass, aluminum and concrete, were designed by Japanese architectural bureau Sanaa. The first special exhibition dedicated to the Renaissance included 250 works, including a painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The museum in Lens hosts a semi-permanent exhibition, "Gallery of Time", which features more than 200 works selected from every section of the Louvre's collections, ranging from ancient cuneiform examples to Delacroix.
In 2015, the Louvre in the UAE is “Louvre Abu Dhabi”, located on the island of As Saadiyat in the suburbs of the Emirate capital. In 2013, the museum showed the public exhibits that had already been acquired by the Abu Dhabi government for future exhibition.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
There is probably not a person in the world who does not know what the Louvre in Paris is. A majestic medieval palace, the former residence of French monarchs and the most visited. The emotions received from contemplating the world masterpieces presented here are so vivid and unforgettable that they will not leave indifferent even a person very far from art. The museum is a must-visit for anyone planning to visit Paris.
The Louvre is rightfully called one of the world's main architectural celebrities. Its beauty is multifaceted and varied. The breath of centuries froze in the intricate patterns of stone, wood and glass; dozens of craftsmen who worked to create a masterpiece left their mark. The walls of the Louvre heard a million secrets, witnessed significant historical events, and the floorboards felt the heaviness of the steps of many great people. The atmosphere of the mysterious building is unique and unforgettable!
History of the Louvre
In Paris, and throughout Europe, you cannot find a second palace that has the harmony and elegance inherent in the Louvre. Its unsurpassed beauty was created over several centuries. The Old Louvre began to be built in the 12th century, and the oldest part of the palace that has survived to this day was erected in 1546; the complete completion of construction dates back to 1857. During this period, France saw 13 kings, 2 emperors and 2 republics. Despite such a long period of construction, multiple changes of eras and a combination of various construction styles, today we see a coherent architectural ensemble.
Construction began with King Philip Augustus. By his order, a defensive tower was built on the western border of Paris. Its location was called Lupara, hence the name of the Louvre castle.
At the beginning of its existence, the tower served the functions of Later, they began to store the treasury in it, then it served as a prison and an arsenal. The Louvre became the residence of the French monarchs in Paris during the reign of Charles V. It was he who commissioned the architect Raymond du Temple to reconstruct the existing building. Thanks to the efforts of this master, the palace acquired royal grandeur and became comfortable for living. New buildings with spacious halls were erected. Light penetrated into the interior through huge glass windows; the walls were decorated with frescoes and wooden carved elements. The main decoration of the renewed Louvre was the huge ceremonial staircase “Grand Screw”.
Construction continues
The luxurious palace was renovated and rebuilt several times during the Renaissance. Dozens of architects worked on its arrangement, trying to bring the ensemble to perfection. At this time, a gallery was built connecting the Louvre with
The Louvre received a new round of development under Henry IV. The monarch was so passionate about art that he invited artists to his residence, providing them with spacious, bright workshops for creativity. Thus, the birthplace of many masterpieces French painting became the Louvre Palace in Paris.
During the reign of Louis XIV, the palace experienced times of decline and almost completely lost its status as a royal residence. The monarch settled in Versailles, and only sculptors, painters and architects remained to live in the Louvre. At this time, plans even appeared to demolish the palace. Fortunately, they were never implemented.
The French Revolution made its own adjustments to the life of the palace. Since the beginning of the reign of Napoleon III, it has ceased to be the residence of the ruling dynasty and acquired the status of the Central Museum of Art.
At the same time, the construction of the main part of the palace was completed - the Richelieu wing was being erected.
First exhibits
The first exhibits of the museum were paintings by Italian masters obtained from the royal collections. Some of them were collected by Francis I. Among these paintings was a painting that to this day attracts millions of visitors to the Louvre Museum in Paris - the Mona Lisa.
The largest acquisition at the time of the opening of the museum was considered to be 200 paintings by the banker Everard Jabach from the collection of Louis XIV.
During revolutionary France, the museum’s collection was actively replenished with valuables confiscated from aristocrats. There was a large influx of exhibits during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. The museum has received many archaeological finds and war trophies from Egypt and the Middle East.
What attracts the palace today?
Modern in Paris is first and foremost a museum. More than 350 thousand outstanding works of art are presented here. An impressive number, isn't it? In order to linger in front of each of them for at least a couple of seconds, it will take more than 20 days.
The Louvre is the third largest Art Museum in the world. The exhibition hall area is 60,000 m2. The entire exhibition is located on four floors in three wings of the building: the Richelieu wing is located along the Rue de Rivoli, the Denon wing stretches along the Seine, and the square courtyard surrounds the Sully wing.
In Paris, the Louvre is treated with great reverence. Every Frenchman is proud of him. The palace is surrounded by national concern, and any change in its life is actively discussed in society.
Questionable architectural element
The most unexpected building for a visitor on the territory of the complex is the Louvre Pyramid. In Paris, and throughout France, debates about its relevance and expediency have not subsided for the third decade. Many did not approve of the Art Nouveau glass structure in the courtyard of the classical palace complex. The choice of such a project came as a shock to most French people. The public calmed down only after the pyramid gained enormous popularity among tourists and began to bring significant income to the city.
Why was the pyramid needed?
The beginning of the 80s of the twentieth century was a period of active development and renovation in Paris. The Louvre was no exception. A competition was announced for the reconstruction project, and to everyone's surprise, architect Yo Ming Pei won with his glass structure.
According to the creator's plan, the pyramid is intended to serve as the main entrance to the building, as it significantly increases the throughput. In addition, natural light flows through it into the large hall, and under the “dome” there is a shopping and restaurant area.
The building not only helps cope with large crowds of people at the entrance, but from it you can quickly get to any exhibition hall. The pyramid very quickly became one of the symbols of Paris along with Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral.
Main places in the Louvre
Well, you have passed the pyramid and are thinking about the question of which direction to move next.
The exhibition is so large that not everyone will be able to see it in its entirety. It is very easy to get lost inside the huge palace. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the museum’s plan in advance, develop and lay out a route. It’s quite difficult to choose places to visit first, because all the exhibits on display are the best of the best!
We list those halls that you definitely can’t miss:
Medieval Louvre.
Egyptian halls are huge, shrouded in the veil of time. You will not see such unique samples anywhere else.
Greek sculptures are the eternal breath of classics.
Italian painting - from the era of early objections to Titian and Raphael.
Dutch painting - Vermeer's masterpieces with unique optical effects need to be seen with your own eyes.
Apartments of Napoleon III with a complete collection of furniture from that era.
And, of course, the portrait of Mona Lisa - if you say that you visited the Louvre in Paris and did not see the smile of the Mona Lisa, they will not understand you.
Entrance prices
As in any other museum, before viewing the exhibition you need to buy an entrance ticket. The set price is quite affordable: only 12 euros for an adult visitor and 15 euros for a double ticket. If you remember how many outstanding works can be seen in the heart of the museum, the amount seems quite insignificant.
As for children and youth, tourists under 18 years of age have free entry.
Special benefits apply to young residents of the European Union. They are allowed free entry to the museum until they are 26 years old.
How to save money when visiting?
Every first Sunday of the month, the Louvre Museum in Paris opens its doors to its visitors completely free of charge. Most will say it's great, you should plan a trip to the Louvre for this day! However, there is no need to rush. The museum is already breaking all records for attendance. In front of the entrance at any time you can see a rather large queue, and the most popular exhibits can only be viewed from afar. It’s easy to imagine how many visitors the museum attracts every day free visits. Such a crowd of people can completely spoil the impression of viewing the exhibition.
There is another good saving option. From time to time the museum provides a significant discount. All planned promotions are listed on the official website.
How to get to the Louvre without queuing?
A long queue in front of the museum entrance will not please anyone. Buying tickets can take a lot of time, and for a tourist coming from afar, every minute counts.
How long you have to stand in front of the entrance depends primarily on the time of year. For example, in the summer (during the season) you can spend several hours on this. Of course, random coincidences and simple luck play a big role.
Here are some tips to help you visit the Louvre Museum in Paris without wasting too much time:
To visit the Louvre, it is better to choose the morning hours - the queue will be shorter and you will have more time to view the exhibition.
Starting from three o'clock in the afternoon there are significantly fewer people wanting to go inside.
The main entrance to the museum is organized through a glass pyramid in the courtyard; a large concentration of tourists is observed there. But it is not the only one available to visitors. The Louvre can be entered from Rue de Rivoli and directly from the Musée du Louvre metro station.
The space under the dome can be accessed through a passage leading from the Tuileries Garden. The entrance is invisible, there is no big crowd there.
Where is the Louvre
In Paris, every passerby can tell you the address of the famous museum and the most convenient travel option. But it’s better to familiarize yourself with its location in advance so as not to waste precious time, especially if your French level is far from perfect. So how do you get to the Louvre in Paris?
The palace address is Musée du Louvre, 75058 Paris. It is located in the first arrondissement of Paris. You can get there by metro along lines 1 or 7 to the Palais-Royal/musée du Louvre station (by the way, you can get directly from the metro to the halls of the Louvre).
You can take the city bus, routes 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95. And incorrigible romantics will love the François Mitterrand embankment stop.
Working hours
To plan your visit wisely, you need to know the museum's opening hours. The Louvre opens its doors at 9 a.m. every day except Tuesday (the museum is closed on this day). The working day ends at 6 pm on Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. And on Wednesday and Friday it is extended until 21-45 (for the convenience of afternoon visitors).
Live at the Louvre
Visiting the Louvre is great, and living in the Louvre is great. For those who hold in their hearts a love for the majestic royal palace, it is worth paying attention to the Louvre Hotel in Paris. It is located in the very center of the city, in an ancient building built in the Ottoman style. From the windows of the spacious rooms there is a marvelous view of the magnificent facade of the Louvre Museum, the Opera Garnier and the famous Comédie Française. All interior spaces are decorated in classic French style. On the ground floor there is the Brasserie du Louvre restaurant, famous for its amazing cuisine and truly Parisian atmosphere.
Living in the hotel is very convenient. Just a few steps away are all the main attractions of the capital: Place de la Concorde, Marais quarter, Notre Dame Cathedral.
Of course, where to stay - everyone chooses for themselves, but perhaps this is the hotel you will dream of prophetic dream, like Charles or Napoleon many centuries ago...
Louvre- is world famous museum, which located in Paris in France. It should be noted that Paris is an amazing and romantic city. Tourists walking along the banks of the Seine enjoy the beautiful views of this city. On the right bank of the river stands the Louvre, which is considered one of the largest and most popular museums in the world.
The Louvre building is an ancient palace that has a rich and interesting story. The Louvre stores only unique and unrepeatable works by the most famous artists of all times.
Proposals to turn the Louvre into a museum began to appear in the 18th century. The project was born under the reign of Louis XV, but due to the French Revolution it was suspended. After the end of the revolution, Napoleon I continued work at the Louvre. In 1852, under Napoleon III, the construction of the Louvre was completed. And in May 1871, the Louvre building acquired its modern appearance. The famous glass pyramid in the center of the courtyard was built in 1989 by the talented modern architect Yo Ming Peyem. The facade of the Louvre was built in the seventies of the last century.
The doors of the museum were first opened on August 10, 1793. Sometimes the Louvre Museum was called the “Museum of Napoleon”.
When was it founded Louvre museum in Paris, the royal collection consisted of two and a half thousand paintings. The museum was also replenished with new exhibits after confiscations, war trophies, and some collectors bequeathed their collection to the Louvre. Louvre sculptures varied and interesting, but the most famous of them are the sculptures of Venus de Milo and Nike of Samothrace. The Nike of Samothrace was found by Charles Champoiseau on the island of Samothrace. It was broken into pieces, but later the sculpture was restored.
The Louvre contains a large amount of paintings, so it is not surprising that Louvre artists from different countries and eras. Of course, the main exhibit of the Louvre is the work of Leonardo da Vinci “Mona Lisa”. A large number of people visit the Louvre every day just to see her beautiful and charming smile. "La Gioconda" is exhibited only here. The painting is no longer given to other exhibitions due to its poor condition.
The pearl of the museum is also considered to be Theodore Gericault’s painting “The Raft of Medusa”. But in 1824, after Theodore’s death, the Louvre did not have enough money to buy back the painting, and a good friend of the artist acquired it.
Art connoisseurs come to the Louvre to appreciate the live paintings “The Death of Marat”, “The Oath of the Horatii” and the painting of Napoleon’s coronation. All these paintings were painted by the artist Jacques Louis David.
Jean Ingres' painting "The Great Odalisque" is on display at the Louvre. The artist exaggerated the features of the models, so the odalisque is not depicted entirely realistically. Her leg is twisted incorrectly, her arm is very long and she has three extra vertebrae. The picture was painted for Caroline Murat, Napoleon’s sister. But the customer never accepted it.
The museum also displays paintings by Johannes Vermeer. Examples of his works are “The Astronaut”, “The Lacemaker”. Since the Renaissance, great artists have used optics to create more realistic paintings. Using optical instruments, they could even create a blurred foreground effect. A striking example This technique is used in Vermeer’s painting “The Lacemaker”.
You can walk around the Louvre for hours and still not see most of the paintings. To visit Louvre museum in Paris you don’t need to look for reasons, just love and appreciate art is enough.
The Louvre attracts the attention of a huge number of true connoisseurs of antiquity. They come to the capital of France to see with their own eyes one of the largest and most luxurious museums on our planet. It is the third largest in the world in terms of area, occupying 160,106 square meters. meters, of which 58,470 thousand square meters are allocated directly for the exhibition. meters.
A few years ago, a kind of record was set: the former royal residence was visited by more than 9.7 million tourists, which allows us to talk about the Louvre as the most popular museum with unique collecting traditions. After all, exhibits that are national treasures are stored here. They cover a huge historical period, starting around the 10th century, when the Capetians ruled France, and ending with the 19th century. However, the Louvre would not be the Louvre if it reflected the history of only one country...
From the residence of kings to the museum
Previously, French kings lived in the Louvre. Each of them contributed to the construction of this magnificent palace, which lasted a total of a thousand years, and also determined its further role, endowing it with certain functions. Here are the main milestones in the development of the future museum.
1190 The so-called Great Tower of the Louvre was built. It is clear that this was not yet a palace in the modern sense, but just a castle-fortress. It was erected by the then monarch Philip II Augustus, known by the nickname Crooked, and who was the son of Louis VII the Young. At that time, the building was of military-strategic importance. It was built in such a place that it was possible to view the lower reaches of the Seine, which were used by the Vikings for raids.
1317 The Louvre acquires the status of a royal residence for the first time. And all thanks to King Charles V the Wise. This happens after a significant historical event– transfer to the Order of Malta of the property of the spiritual-knightly Order of the Templars. At the same time, the treasury of the kingdom was transferred to the Louvre.
1528 The Great Tower of the Louvre is losing its original strategic importance. King Francis I of Valois gives the order to destroy it as an obsolete object.
1546 After the destruction of the tower, His Majesty thought about future fate Louvre. And he decided to turn the former fortress into a luxurious royal residence. It is a pity that Francis I himself did not see the further progress of construction: a year later he died. The work begun by the architect Pierre Lescaut was continued under Henry II and Charles IX. At this time, two new wings were added to the main building.
1594 King Henry IV of Navarre (Bourbon) comes up with the wonderful idea of combining the Louvre and the Tuileries, a palace built in 1564 on the initiative of the Dowager Queen Catherine de Medici, into a single palace and park complex. The creation of the square courtyard of the Louvre is the merit of the Lemercier architects.
1610-1715. During the era of Louis XIII and then his son Louis XIV, the scale of the palace was increased fourfold. During the latter’s tenure, the Louvre and the Tuileries were connected by a passage. Artists such as Romanelli, Poussin and Lebrun were involved in the design and decoration of the palace complex.
1667-1670. The time of appearance of the Colonnade of the Louvre - the eastern and at the same time the main facade, overlooking the square of the same name. It was built by the architect Claude Perrault, brother of Charles Perrault, author famous fairy tale about Puss in Boots. The original design of Louis Levo was taken as a basis. The colonnade stretches for 170 meters. It evokes genuine admiration as a masterpiece of French classicism.
1682 Work on the expansion and improvement of the Louvre is suddenly frozen. And all because Louis XIV decides... to move out of it along with the entire court. He chooses the Palace of Versailles as his new royal residence.
1700s. The voices of those who propose to turn the Louvre into a big museum. Under Louis XV the Beloved, even a whole project for such a reconstruction appeared. However, that project was not destined to come to fruition, as the Great French Revolution broke out. But the museum was still opened to the public, and this happened on August 10, 1793, when the revolution was still ongoing.
1800s. When Napoleon I Bonaparte came to power after the revolution, he decided to continue work at the Louvre Palace. The architects he invited, Fontaine and Percier, began constructing the northern part of the building, which runs in the direction of Rue de Rivoli. But it was completed during the tenure of Napoleon III. Then the construction of the Louvre was finally completed. During the First French Empire, the Louvre was called the Napoleon Museum. The future museum acquired its current appearance, well known to millions of tourists, after the events of May 1871, when the Paris Commune was besieged. Then the Tuileries Palace burned down.
1985-1989. President François Mitterrand, who wanted to see the former royal palace as the most big museum world, in commemoration of the 200th anniversary French Revolution took the initiative of the “Grand Louvre”. The idea was to extend the so-called historical axis of Paris or the Route de Triomphe. It just starts from the Pyramid of the Louvre, built during these years in Napoleon’s courtyard and which is now the main entrance to the palace museum (author - Yo Ming Pei). Nearby there are three more pyramids, but smaller in size - they serve as portholes. There, in the courtyard, there is a stone statue of Louis XIV.
How were the Louvre collections replenished?
At first, the Louvre's funds were replenished by collections collected at different times by royalty. For example, Francis I collected Italian paintings. Among them are the famous “La Gioconda” by Leonardo da Vinci and “The Beautiful Gardener” painted by Raphael.
Two hundred paintings - once the property of the banker Everard Zhabach - ended up within the walls of the palace thanks to Louis XIV, who acquired them. In total, by the time the museum opened, the “contribution of the kings” amounted to about two and a half thousand different paintings. Statues from the Museum of French Sculpture were also relocated to the Louvre, and, in large quantities. Numerous samples of property of nobles confiscated during the years of the revolution also ended up in the Louvre.
The founder and first director of the Louvre museum was the French engraver and amateur Egyptologist Dominique Vivant-Denon, also known as Baron Denon. He had the opportunity to work in this capacity during the era Napoleonic wars. What bore fruit: the museum contained valuable military trophies, as well as archaeological finds from the Middle East region. Thus, “The Marriage in Cana of Galilee” (artist Paolo Veronese) was brought from Venice in 1798. A little earlier, in 1782, King Louis XVI acquired “The Little Beggar” by Murillo. “Self-Portrait with a Thistle” (Dürer) and “The Lacemaker” (Vermeer) were acquired by the museum in late XIX- first half of the twentieth century.
So, in XIX-XX centuries collections were replenished different ways: something was purchased, and something was presented to the museum as a gift. Let's say that Edmund Rothschild's collection moved here according to the will of the famous banker. El Greco’s canvas “Christ on the Cross” seemed to have fallen from the sky: it was taken in 1908 from a courthouse in the Eastern Pyrenees.
From the most famous sculptures Let's call the Louvre Venus de Milo (located in a special gallery on the first floor). This ancient Greek sculpture, also known as Aphrodite of Milos, was found here by French sailor Olivier Voutier in 1820. At the same time, the French ambassador purchased it from the government Ottoman Empire. Let us also mention the Nike of Samothrace. She was also a find, only on another island - Samothrace. It was found, in parts, by the archaeologist and French vice-consul in Adrianople, Charles Champuzot.
Museum halls: admiration of splendor
In addition to paintings and sculptures, the Louvre presents ceramics, drawing works, archaeological finds, etc. Its walls accommodate about 300 thousand of a wide variety of exhibits, of which only 35,000 are exhibited in the halls. A significant part remains in storage for reasons of safety and is exhibited for a short time, not exceeding three months. For convenience, numerous collections are divided into halls or, in other words, departments. There are eight of them in the museum. The names speak for themselves: “Objects of Art”, “Sculptures”, “Ancient East”, “Fine Arts”, “ Ancient Egypt», « Graphic art", "Ancient Greece, Etruria, Rome", "The Art of Islam". Let's talk a little more about some of them.
The so-called oriental collection, formed in 1881, displays art objects from the ancient Mezhriverchensky states and the Middle East. Here you can see the Stele of Hammurabi - the king Ancient Babylon. The department has three subsections: “Interfluve”, “East of the Mediterranean (Palestine, Syria, Cyprus)”, “Iran”. The Ancient Egyptian department appeared in 1826: here you can see examples of circular sculpture, reliefs, jewelry, artistic objects, paintings, as well as papyri and sarcophagi. And here is the Gallery Ancient Greece, Etruria and Rome appeared earlier, in 1800. This collection of antiquities contains many original Greek monuments, covering the period from the Aeginetan era to the Hellenistic era. Among the sculptures of that time we will name Hera of Samos, Archaic kouros, Apollo from Piombino and the so-called head of Rampen.
The modern Louvre is a living organism. Its collections are constantly updated and supplemented with new exhibits. Among the exhibits that appeared not so long ago, we note the helmet of King Charles VI. It was found in pieces, but skillfully restored, and it took its place in the new “Medieval Louvre” department. The museum is constantly being modernized, its interior spaces have become wider and generally very elegantly decorated. For example, the Gallery of Apollo and the Hall of the Caryatids, considered the oldest in the palace. The halls are equipped with the latest technical achievements, and all this is for the convenience of visitors. The halls of the Louvre are equipped with the most modern security systems, which allows you to reliably protect historical relics from criminal attacks.
During the excursions you will be able to admire and architectural views Louvre. Don't doubt it: there is something to see here too.
- According to one version of the origin of the name “Louvre”, translated from Old French the word “lauer” or “lower” means “watchtower”.
- While visiting the museum, you must adhere to six basic rules. They are presented in the form of graphic symbols that will be encountered during the excursion.
- At the beginning of the 17th century, King Henry IV, a great admirer of the arts, made an offer to artists to settle in the palace. He promised to give spacious halls to workshops and housing.
- The Louvre became the residence of artists, architects and sculptors under Louis XIV, when he moved to Versailles. As a result, the former residence fell into such disrepair that they were already thinking about its possible demolition.
- Under Napoleon III, the dream of Henry IV came true: the Richelieu wing was added to the Louvre. However, a large part of the museum burned down during the Paris Commune, and the palace lost its newfound symmetry.
- In 2012, the Louvre got a “brother”, or rather a satellite museum. It was built by decision of the French government in the town of Lens, in the north of the country (Nord-Pas-de-Calais region). The site chosen was the territory of a former coal mine. Reason for the decision: the Parisian Louvre is overcrowded and needs to be “unloaded.”
- In 2017, it is planned to open a branch of the Louvre in the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi. The exhibition in the Emirates will have a mission to build bridges between East and West.
Palais Royal, Musee du Louvre,
75001 Paris, France
www.louvre.fr
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On the right bank of the Seine in the center of Paris rises a magnificent Baroque palace complex, which houses a grandiose collection of masterpieces of art from ancient and Western European civilization. It's worldwide famous museum Louvre.
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Before becoming the largest in the world, the palace experienced many tragedies, intrigues, conspiracies and uprisings. At various times it served as a medieval fortress, a royal residence and a people's assembly. The formation of the complex is integrally connected with the history of France.
At the end of the 12th century, on the initiative of King Philip II Augustus, a fortress was erected to protect Paris from the invasion of the Normans and English. The structure was a cylindrical tower surrounded by reliable high walls with massive gates. The medieval feudal castle was named Louvre, which translated from Frankish meant “to be on guard.” It housed the treasury, valuable archives and a prison.
Over time, Paris grew. The emergence of new buildings around the fortress contributed to a significant transformation of the Louvre. Finding itself in the center of the city, the castle lost its defensive significance. In the 14th century, monarch Charles V transformed the gloomy citadel into a royal residence. New towers were built, a luxurious garden was laid out, and pompous royal apartments were furnished. Harsh winters, famine, plague, peasant uprisings and wars with England long years brought the residence of the French kings into a pitiful state.
Throughout the 15th century, the Louvre was in disrepair. The monarchs lived far from the capital. Dramatic changes occurred in the 16th century, when Francis I ascended the throne of France and returned the royal residence to Paris. The castle is being completely rebuilt in the Renaissance style. Instead of medieval tower structures and walls, the long construction of a palace begins with new wings, a courtyard, an arcade gallery, expanded state rooms, a covered passage and decorated facades.
The reconstruction of the Louvre was suspended for some time when, in 1682, King Louis XIV decided to move his residence to Versailles (a suburb of Paris). Although the building remained unfinished, the royal apartments housed French painters, sculptors, scientists and traveling merchants. Since 1699, the palace began to host art exhibitions for the privileged nobility.
After the French Revolution, the Louvre became the cultural heritage of the people. The first art museum in France was opened there. From now on, Parisians can admire the masterpieces of art from the royal collection. The complex became available for public viewing. During the reign of Napoleon I, the Louvre was replenished with new works of art confiscated from the nobility, emigrants and clergy. The emperor's military victories enriched the complex with unique exhibits taken by French troops from conquered countries.
Royal Palace
Over the course of several centuries, the royal palace of the Louvre, which is a symbol of the French state, was repeatedly rebuilt and expanded. Each monarch made his own adjustments to the appearance of the architectural complex. Modern look purchased in 1871. The perimeter is more than 1.5 kilometers.
The architectural ensemble consists of three main buildings. One wing extends along the Seine embankment, the other runs parallel to the Rue de Rivoli. In the center there is a square building with a courtyard. The facades are decorated with luxurious arcades, colonnades with ornate capitals, pilasters, relief images, balustrades, semicircular and triangular pediments and numerous sculptural sculptures.
Creating a collection
King Francis I laid the foundation for the Louvre's first art collection. Having visited Italy, the monarch was fascinated by the splendor of the cultural achievements of the Renaissance. He brought to France many paintings and sculptures that convey the idea of man's eternal striving for perfection. In 1517, Francis I invited to France famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci.
The king gave the master a warm welcome and appointed him chief court painter. After death the brilliant Leonardo 19 of his paintings remained in the Louvre, among which the most famous painting was the portrait of the Mona Lisa. The royal collection was constantly replenished with artistic masterpieces glorifying the power of the monarchy. The great ministers of France from different eras were especially zealous connoisseurs of works of art: Richelieu, Mazarin and Colbert.
They did not skimp on paintings from all over the world. Since the 19th century, archaeologists actively working in Egypt and the Middle East have contributed to the formation of the Louvre collection. Unique ancient artifacts, manuscripts and ancient statues were brought.
Louvre today
The internal area of the museum is 60,000 square meters. Every year, the attraction of the French capital is visited by more than 8 million tourists. The museum's collection is represented by 370,000 exhibits, dispersed in the buildings of the palace complex. Today, the Louvre is one of the most major museums peace. The palace has a rich collection of works of art from ancient times to mid-19th century. The Louvre is on the list world heritage UNESCO.
The abduction of Gioconda
In 1911, one of the old museum employees freely made his way into the pavilion with works of art and stole Leonardo Da Vinci's La Gioconda. Only a day later the disappearance of the canvas was discovered. For several years, the police could not find the portrait, which had been in the robber’s modest apartment all this time.
An incredible scandal broke out because of the incident, after which the picture Italian master became the most famous and mysterious masterpiece in the history of art. It became obvious that the museum was experiencing difficulties in ensuring the safety of storage of the collection. The Louvre needed internal reforms in this area. Instead of the position of museum director, a commissioner was appointed, who increased the number of security guards and introduced strict rules for visiting the Louvre. All exhibition halls were refurbished, an elevator was installed and electricity was installed.
Why was the pyramid needed?
The glass pyramid of the Louvre serves as the main entrance. The structure was erected in 1989 by the American architect Bei Yuming, according to a major project for the restoration of the complex. The structure contrasts with the magnificent buildings and gives architectural ensemble some modern charm. The initial task of creating a pyramid with an underground entrance to the museum was to unload the historical entrances, which had great difficulty coping with endless streams of visitors.
Description
It consists of three buildings. They are connected to each other by an underground passage. These are the wings of Richelieu, Denon and Sully. In the spacious premises of the Louvre you can see numerous objects of art characterizing different historical eras - paintings, sculptures, royal furniture, porcelain, tapestries, household items, jewelry, antique statues and artifacts.
The luxurious interiors of the museum will take your breath away. The halls are decorated with ceiling arches with graceful columns, frescoes and bas-reliefs. Premises where antique exhibits are exhibited Ancient Greece, Egypt, Middle East are located on the first floors. Fine and applied arts occupy the second and third floors.
Exposition
The pavilions of the Louvre present collections of the most valuable exhibits that embody the cultural heritage of different eras and peoples. The exhibition is divided into thematic zones. These are Egyptian and Middle Eastern antiques, Greek and Roman sculptures, artifacts of French kings, paintings by great artists from all over the world. Deserves attention Big hall with an arched ceiling, where among slender columns stand greek sculptures. Antique sculptures express the beauty of the human body.
An important place in the Louvre exhibition is occupied by the armless marble statue Venus de Milo. This is the only original in the world ancient greek goddess love and beauty with a completely preserved head. Crowds of tourists flock to see the museum's priceless masterpiece.
The Louvre's most popular exhibition space is art Gallery. Its walls are decorated with paintings by Italian painters - Raphael Santi, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Caravaggio, Leonardo Da Vinci and many others. The museum has more than 6,000 paintings. The collection of fine art is amazing. Visitors are presented with works by artists of the Renaissance, classicism, impressionism and modernism.
Bright showroom The Louvre is called the Apollo Gallery. The ceiling is decorated with magnificent frescoes depicting scenes Greek mythology. The paintings are enclosed in gilded frames, decorated with ornate stucco. This room also houses a collection jewelry French kings.
The most famous paintings
